Beginner looking for car + advice

[Lucky 7]

A 50 year old, rear wheel drive, subcompact in Colorado is the first car of the certifiably insane, but I’m on board.  It’s a great car to learn on, ask me how I know. 
 

You don’t see them much around here, but there’s a few of us in Denver.  I’m in post-paint reassembly at the moment if you’re interested in a tour of a mid project car. 

 

Welcome aboard, the forum is a great place to start. As others have said, lots of reading will get your head into the realities of owning and fixing these things. Good luck!

 

edit:

Just saw you said first project car, so not necessarily first car. Potentially disregard my first comment. 😂

Edited September 30, 2023 by Lucky 7

[www.bmw2002.co.uk]

Here you go lots of buying guides to guide you through the minefield;

Buying Guides | BMW 2002

WWW.BMW2002.CO.UK

Also get yourself Mike MaCartney's "02 Restoration Guide" its the 02 Bible and packed with stuff you'll want to know. Happy hunting

[ricsix]

Welcome, and your first step in the right direction was finding this site and asking questions. As you said, you'll find the 02 crowd to be friendly and supportive. 

 

As others have said, avoid rust. Even a little is more than you think. I know this from experience - while I've mitigated nearly all of it on my 73 it was a hell of a journey and lots and lot of work. Also, get something that runs well enough to move around, in and out of the garage, driveway etc. That will lead to less frustration. Good luck, and show us what you end up with! 

 

Cheers from NJ

 

Ric

[slowbert]

One little tidbit about Colorado: if the car is 1975 or older, there is no emissions test required. I would skip 1976 2002s if possible. 
 

Even if it is one of those smog cars from evil California, you can strip the nasty smog equipment and see the glorious car underneath. 

[Conserv]

Here’s a very recent, possibly-still-available $10K ‘02, a tii to boot.

 

You need to read the entire thread — first-hand eyewitness testimony — to see what $10K buys. Admittedly, part of that price is attached to the tii bona fides. I’d guess the identical car, but not a tii, would sell for a few thousand less. Of course, the tii, if restored, would also be worth more than the hypothetical non-tii of similar condition and year.

 

Rusty ‘02’s — certainly the majority of ‘02’s — have or had notable rust, such is the nature of old cars. You just have to, going in, (a.) understand the full extent of the rust (generally more than shows to the eye); and (b.) have a plan as to how you will repair it (pay someone, learn to weld, etc.)

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

 

 

[slowbert]

58 minutes ago, Conserv said:

Rusty ‘02’s — certainly the majority of ‘02’s — have or had notable rust, such is the nature of old cars. You just have to, going in, (a.) understand the full extent of the rust (generally more than shows to the eye); and (b.) have a plan as to how you will repair it (pay someone, learn to weld, etc.)

 

Agreed.  You are going to have to come to terms with rust and learn to embrace it.  Every car has far more rust than you can see, and far more rust than you want to see.  That is OK.  There are NO $10K 2002s without rust, so just accept the fact that you will deal with it at some point.

 

These cars are easy to work on and ultimately quite simple.  Get the car running and on the road.  And enjoy it.

 

Somewhere down the road you can start tackling the rust as you prepare for the paint job that every $10K 2002 will require.  Build up the budget, tool set, skill set, but most of all will power.  Then tackle it when you are ready.

 

Rather than look for "no rust", set your sights on "less rust" or at least "not lots and lots of rust."

[Mike Self]

Not a whole lot to add to the above messages, but a few foot-stomps:

 

The less rust, the better--but to clarify, we're talking structural rust, not surface rust or rust on non-structural panels (front fenders, doors, hoods, trunk lids, even spare tire wells.  Structural rust means parts that will compromise the body's structural integrity:  inner rear wheel arches (inside the trunk), inner rocker panels (the "step" just inside the door sill, and behind at the outer edges of the rear floor well); front frame rails (from the front of the engine compartment back to the front footwells' underside); rear subframe (bolts on and thus replaceable, but structurally vital).  Others will probably add to that list.

 

True statement about buying a car that's driveable even if shabby.  You'll be much more motivated to make it look pretty if you can drive it often.  I drove Wolfgang, my '69 for nearly 5 years--in six shades of primer--while undoing rust from 30 salty Ohio winters.  Done primarily because none of the rust was structural, and I had bought Wolfgang new.

 

Were it me, I'd steer away from a tii unless it's running perfectly.  A worn injector pump can run into many $$$, and even finding someone who can set up a misbehaving tii injection system isn't easy.  But a really good deal on a tii might be a good trade with someone who wants a tii but has a nice carbureted car to trade...or do a little cosmetic fixing and flip to buy a nicer carbureted car.

 

Finally, welcome to the 02 fraternity/sorority (you're not the only female 02 owner/wrench twister here!)--don't be shy about asking questions; lotsa folks here who are happy to help with the most arcane minutia about our cars and how to make 'em run good and look pretty.

 

Cheers, and have at it!

 

mike

[DrinkMan]

23 hours ago, Alyssa said:

If my budget is 10,000 do you think that it's possible? I've been able to find some for under that seem in okay shape, but maybe working on a broken will allow me to learn more? 

 

Do not buy a cheaper car that you will need to do more work on. In the old car game, always buy the absolute best you can afford (or even spend a little more). No matter how good the car is, it is old an things will break and no matter how good (and I mean, even concours quality), if 50 years old, it is a project car. You will learn. And learn a lot. And have fun.

[Chris_B]

I am mildly skeptical here. We have Alyssa, who says he/she is "a teenager with little experience with cars," and "...my budget is 10,000 do you think that it's possible?" I hope we are not being played, here. We should help all comers, but...

 

 

[der Heilerin]

If 10k is the general budget, and seems prohibitive regarding a workable 2002. . . . Maybe start with a decent 320i. Meaning, the basics are all there, and while it’s not a 2002 it continues the E10, and simple layout in the BMW tradition. 
 

or, keep your powder dry while saving a bit more for a decent driver. 

[DrinkMan]

16 hours ago, Chris_B said:

I am mildly skeptical here. We have Alyssa, who says he/she is "a teenager with little experience with cars," and "...my budget is 10,000 do you think that it's possible?" I hope we are not being played, here. We should help all comers, but...

 

 

 

While in today's world, skepticism is a necessity, I found this realistic. I thought back to when I was a teenager back in the 1970's and had saved from my summer/evening jobs working fast food for my first car. I had $2000 to spend on the car. And if necessary, my parents supported loaning me a few hundred more. I just looked at the inflation calculator and from my $2000 at a teenager to today, it comes out to $10,500. So, for me, that seems right. And when my daughter was a teenager, I helped with her activities if necessary and adding a few thousand to her work saving would have been something I would have loved to do. 

 

I really hope this is real because I want to believe that there are young men and women wanting to get into our hobby. I have mentored some young folks and had them help out with our collection. One day I sat down with 3 teenage boys that were into cars and offered them $500 to help me remove the engine and transmission from one of my cars and assist with the engine teardown. They jumped for joy and told me they would do it for nothing, just to help with the project. (I paid them, it was worth it)

 

I've also been doing some searching to see if there is anything like a realistic 2002 car for 10,000 that would be a good project. I was surprised. While they look like challenges, they are out there. on Facebook Marketplace a "brakes don't work" 1976 in North Carolina that runs/drives with what looks like only surface rust; a 1974 one in Florida with an Automatic Transmission (be good to start with that and upgrade to 5 speed someday) with what appears to be non-structural rust on the fenders but a decent interior; and a few more (some were merely yard art).

 

But there were a hell of a lot of BMW 320i out there. My neighbor was selling his convertible that ran perfect, full records, great transmission, paint that was a 10 footer (zero rust, just faded and panels that didn't perfectly match in different lighting), and seats that needed seat covers for only $2500. I drove that car and it was fantastic and would be perfect for a young person to start with.

[Alexander]

21 hours ago, DrinkMan said:

 

 Anything is possible.

Edited October 2, 2023 by Alexander

[Charles in PA]

Here you go: 

No Reserve: 1974 BMW 2002tii Project for sale on BaT Auctions - ending October 9 (Lot #123,264) | Bring a Trailer

BRINGATRAILER.COM

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Bid for the chance to own a No Reserve: 1974 BMW 2002tii Project at auction with Bring a Trailer, the home of the best vintage and classic cars online. Lot #123,264.

 

[JsnPpp]

It's possible that Alyssa is no longer interested in 2002s. 🙂  

Edited October 2, 2023 by JsnPpp

[tech71]

1 hour ago, JsnPpp said:

It's possible that Alyssa is no longer interested in 2002s. 🙂  

Probably, teens (and old trolls) do seem to have short attention spans.